Daf 170a (דַּף ק״ע ע״א)

Therefore (בְגִין כָּךְ), at all times (בְּכָל זִמְנָא), a person should not walk alone (לָא יְהַךְ בַּר נָשׁ יְחִידָאי) on a road in a city (בְּאָרְחָא בְמָתָא), but rather (אֶלָּא) in a place (בְּאֲתַר) where people are going and coming and are found there (דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא אָזְלִין וְתָבִין וּמִשְׁתַּכְּחִין תַּמָּן). Therefore (וְעַל דָּא), a person should not walk alone at night (לָא יְהַךְ בַּר נָשׁ יְחִידָאי בְּלֵילְיָא), because people are not found then (הוֹאִיל וּבְנֵי נָשָׁא לָא מִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי). And this is the reason (וְהַיְינוּ טַעְמָא) why a corpse must not remain overnight (דְּלָא תָלִין נִבְלָתוֹ), so that a dead body without spirit (דְּלָא לְקַיְימָא גּוּפָא מִיתָא בְּלָא רוּחָא) does not lie upon the earth at night (עַל אַרְעָא בְּלֵילְיָא). Because of this (בְּגִין כָּךְ), that wicked Bilaam (הַהוּא רָשָׁע דְּבִלְעָם) would go alone (הֲוָה אָזִיל יְחִידָאי), like this serpent (כְּהַאי נָחָשׁ), as they have explained (כְּמָה דְאוּקְמוּהָ). "And a man wrestled with him" (וַיֵּאָבֵק אִישׁ עִמּוֹ), what is "wrestled" (מַאי וַיֵּאָבֵק).p3-19 Rabbi Shim'on said (רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר), from "dust" (מִן אָבָק). Dust is secondary to earth (אָבָק טָפֵל לֶעָפָר). What is the difference between earth and dust (מַה בֵּין עָפָר לְאָבָק). This dust remains from fire (דָּא אָבָק דְּאִשְׁתָּאַר מִן נוּרָא), and produces no fruits (וְלָא עֲבַד אִיבִּין), some say: in the world (נ"א: בְּעָלְמָא), forever (לְעָלְמִין). Earth (עָפָר), from which all fruits emerge (דְּכָל אִיבִּין נָפְקֵי מִנֵּיהּ), is comprehensive above and below (וְאִיהוּ כְּלָלָא בְּעֵילָא וְתַתָּא).

Rabbi Yehudah said, If so, what is meant by: He raises the poor from the dust? (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אִי הָכִי מַאי: מֵקִים מֵעָפָר דָּל) (I Samuel 2). He said to him: As it is understood. But in this manner: He raises the poor from the dust—because he has nothing from himself. (אָמַר לֵיהּ כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ, אֲבָל בְּהַאי גַוְונָא: מֵקִים מֵעָפָר דָּל, בְּגִין דְּלֵית לֵיהּ מִגַּרְמֵיהּ כְּלוּם). And from that very dust emerges a poor one who has nothing. (וּמֵהַהוּא עַפְרָא נָפַק דַּל דְּלֵית לֵיהּ כְּלוּם). And from that dust all limbs and all goodness of the world emerge from it. (וּמֵהַהוּא עָפָר כָּל אִיבִּין וְכָל טִיבוּ דְעַלְמָא נָפְקֵי מִנֵּיהּ). And by it all the works of the world were made, as it is written: All was from the dust, and all returns to the dust. (וּבֵיהּ אִתְעֲבִידוּ כָּל עוֹבָדִין דְּעַלְמָא, כְּמָה דִכְתִיב: הַכֹּל הָיָה מִן הֶעָפָר וְהַכֹּל שָׁב אֶל הֶעָפָר) (Ecclesiastes 3). And we have learned: All was from the dust—even the wheel of the sun. (וְתָנִינָן: הַכֹּל הָיָה מִן הֶעָפָר, וְאֲפִילּוּ גַּלְגַּל חַמָּה). But fine dust does not produce fruit or limbs for the world forever. (אֲבָל אָבָק לָא עָבִיד פֵּירִין וְאִיבִּין לְעָלְמָא לְעָלְמִין). And because of this: And a man wrestled—with that dust that came and rode upon him, in order to accuse Ya'akov. (וּבְגִין כָּךְ: וַיֵּאָבֵק אִישׁ, דְּאַתְיָא בְּהַהוּא אָבָק וּרְכִיב עֲלֵיהּ, בְּגִין לְקַטְרְגָא לֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב).

“Until the rising of the dawn” when his dominion passed and was exchanged. (עַד עֲלוֹת הַשָּׁחַר, דְּאִתְעֲבַר שׁוּלְטָנוּתֵיהּ וְאִתְחַלַּף). And so it will be in the time to come, because the exile now is like the night, and it is night. (וְכָךְ הוּא לְזִמְנָא דְאָתֵי, בְּגִין דְּגָלוּתָא הַשְׁתָּא כְּלֵילְיָא דַמְיָא, וְאִיהוּ לֵילְיָא). And that dust rules over Yisrael, and those who lie in the dust (others), until the light departs and the day shines. (וְשָׁלְטָא הַהוּא אָבָק עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאִינוּן שְׁכִיבֵי לְעַפְרָא (אוֹחֲרָא), עַד דְּיִסְתַּלַּק נְהוֹרָא וְיִתְנְהַר יְמָמָא). And then Yisrael will rule, and to them will be given the kingship—they who are the holy ones of the supernal. (וּכְדֵין יִשְׁלְטוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּלְהוֹן יִתְיָהִיב מַלְכוּתָא, דְּאִינוּן קַדִּישֵׁי עֶלְיוֹנִין). As you say: And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the holy ones of the Most High—His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him. (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: וּמַלְכוּתָא וְשָׁלְטָנָא וּרְבוּתָא דִי מַלְכְוָת תְּחוֹת כָּל שְׁמַיָא יְהִיבַת לְעַם קַדִּישֵׁי עֶלְיוֹנִין, מַלְכוּתֵהּ מַלְכוּת עָלַם, וְכֹל שָׁלְטָנַיָא לֵהּ יִפְלְחוּן וְיִשְׁתַּמְּעוּן) (Daniel 7). And he said: Send me, for dawn has risen. And he said: I will not send you unless you bless me. (וַיֹּאמֶר שַׁלְחֵנִי כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר, וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא אֲשַׁלֵּחֲךָ כִּי אִם בֵּרַכְתָּנִי) (Bereshit 32). Rabbi Yehudah opened and said: Who is this that looks forth like the dawn, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, awesome as bannered hosts? (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח וְאָמַר: מִי זֹאת הַנִּשְׁקָפָה כְּמוֹ שָׁחַר, יָפָה כַלְּבָנָה, בָּרָה כַּחַמָּה, אֲיֻמָּה כַּנִּדְגָלוֹת) (Song of Songs 6). This verse has been established and taught. But: Who is this that looks forth?—these are Yisrael at the time when Kudsha Berikh Hu will raise them and bring them out from exile. (הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ וְאִתְּמָר, אֲבָל: מִי זֹאת הַנִּשְׁקָפָה — אִלֵּין אִינוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּזִמְנָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יוֹקִים לוֹן וְיָפִיק לוֹן מִן גָּלוּתָא).

Then He will open for them a gateway of light—which is a thin, narrow thread. (כְּדֵין יִפְתַּח לוֹן פִּתְחָא דִּנְהוֹרָא (דְּהִיא) דַּקִּיק זְעֵיר). And afterwards, another gate, which is greater than it—until Kudsha Berikh Hu will open for them supernal gates opened to the four directions of the world. (וּלְבָתַר פִּתְחָא אַחֲרִינָא, דְּאִיהוּ רַב מִינֵיהּ, עַד דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יִפְתַּח לוֹן תַּרְעִין עִלָּאִין פְּתִיחִין לְאַרְבַּע רוּחֵי עָלְמָא). And so it is with all that Kudsha Berikh Hu does for Yisrael and for the Righteous among them—it is all not at one time. (וְכֵן כָּל מַה דְּעָבִיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וּלְצַדִּיקַיָּא דִּי בְּהוֹן, הָכִי כֻּלְּהוֹ וְלָא בְּזִמְנָא חָדָא). For a man who was placed in darkness and whose dwelling was continually in darkness—when they wish to illuminate him, they begin by opening for him a small light, like the eye of a needle. (לְבַר נָשׁ דְּאִתְיְהִיב בַּחֲשׁוֹכָא וְדִיּוּרֵיהּ הֲוָה בַּחֲשׁוֹכָא תָּדִיר, כַּד יִבְעוּן לְאַנְהָרָא לֵיהּ, בַּעְיָין לְאִפְתְּחָא לֵיהּ נְהוֹרָא זְעֵירְתָּא כְּעֵינָא דְּמַחֲטָא). And afterwards a greater light than that, and so on at each time, until all the lights shine for him as is proper. (וּלְבָתַר רַב מִנֵּיהּ, וּכְדֵין בְּכָל זִמְנָא עַד דְּיִנְהֲרוּן לֵיהּ כָּל נְהוֹרָא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת). So too are Yisrael, as it is said: Little by little I will drive them out from before you until you increase, etc. (כָּךָ אִינוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: מְעַט מְעַט אֲגָרְשֶׁנּוּ מִפָּנֶיךָ עַד אֲשֶׁר תִּפְרֶה וְגוֹ') (Exodus 23). And likewise, for one who comes to be healed—it does not happen all at once, but little by little, until he becomes strong. (וְכֵן לְמַאן דְּאָתֵי אַסְוָותָא, לָאו אִיהוּ בְּשַׁעְתָּא חָדָא, אֶלָּא זְעֵיר זְעֵיר עַד דְּיִתְתַּקֵּף).

But for Esav, it is not so. Rather, at one moment it shines for him, and is lost from him little by little. (אֲבָל לְעֵשָׂו לָאו הָכִי, אֶלָּא בְּזִמְנָא חָדָא נָהִיר לֵיהּ, וְאִתְאֲבִיד מִנֵּיהּ זְעֵיר זְעֵיר). And in the time to come for the nations who serve idolatry, as it is written: Hashem shall go forth like a mighty man. (וְלִזְמַנָא דְּאָתֵי לְאֻמַּיָּא עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת: יי כְּגִבּוֹר יֵצֵא) (Isaiah 42), until Yisrael shall strengthen and take from them everything—from this world and from the world to come. (עַד דְּיִתְתַּקְּפוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל, וִישֵׁיצוּן [וִישֻׁבוּן] לֵיהּ מִכֹּלָּא, מֵעָלְמָא דֵין וּמֵעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי). And because it shone for him all at once, he was stripped of everything. (וּבְגִין דְּנָהִיר בְּשַׁעְתָּא חָדָא, הֲוָה לֵיהּ שֵׁצִיאוּ מִכֹּלָּא). But Yisrael—their light is little by little, until they become strong, and Kudsha Berikh Hu will shine for them forever. (אֲבָל יִשְׂרָאֵל, נְהוֹרָא דִילְהוֹן זְעֵיר זְעֵיר, עַד דְּיִתְתַּקְּפוּן, וְיַנְהִיר לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְעָלְמִין). And all will ask about them and say: Who is this that looks forth like the dawn? That is the dimness of morning, and this is a thin light. (וְכֹלָּא שָׁאֲלֵי לוֹן וְאָמְרֵי: מִי זֹאת הַנִּשְׁקָפָה כְּמוֹ שָׁחַר — אִיהוּ קַדְרוּתָא דְצַפְרָא, וְדָא אִיהוּ נְהוֹרָא דָּקִיק).

And afterwards, fair as the moon, because the light of the moon is brighter than that of the dawn. (וּלְבָתַר: יָפָה כַלְּבָנָה, בְּגִין דְּסִיהֲרָא נְהוֹרָא דִילָהּ נָהִיר יַתִּיר מִשַּׁחַר). And afterwards, clear as the sun, because its light is powerful and brighter than the moon. (וּלְבָתַר: בָּרָה כַּחַמָּה, בְּגִין דִּנְהוֹרֵיהּ תַּקִּיף וְנָהִיר יַתִּיר מִסִּיהֲרָא). And afterwards, awesome as bannered hosts—mighty in light, mighty as is proper. (וּלְבָתַר: אֲיֻמָּה כַּנִּדְגָלוֹת — תַּקִּיפָא בִּנְהוֹרָא תַּקִּיף כְּדְקָא יְאוּת).